Dental supports (e.g., mandrels) can be used to support a dental blank during machining and/or handling. For example, some dental supports can be designed to fit within specific mills that can be used in chairside and/or laboratory processes, such as those that employ computer controlled machining equipment (e.g., a CAD/CAM device). Some existing dental supports, or dental blank assemblies comprising supports, that can be employed in such dental machining processes, are formed of inexpensive alloy metals that can be precisely cast or machined to a specific shape, but which would not withstand the high temperatures necessary to fire, glaze or crystallize the dental appliance. As such, no intermediate heating steps can be employed in forming the desired dental appliance while the blank is still attached to the support.